Hokage? No, ANBU
by Valavor
Summary: He was abandoned, she was griefing. He was just a genin, she was ANBU. They had nothing in common, yet their paths crossed and that's where the story unfolds...
1. Meeting

The village hidden in leaves, the name is pretty misleading, as the village itself is located in the land of fire.  
But that's besides the point, since right now the village's name would probably be: the village hidden in flames, as everything was burning.

It just suddenly appeared, in the middle of the village no less, no one knows how, no one knows why, save for the fourth hokage.  
What appeared you ask? That's a easy question really, it was the monstrosity known as the nine tails.  
The nine tales was truly a fearsome beast, for ninja's were swatted like flies and buildings were crushed under it's paws.

Then again, his glory was short-lived, as the fourth sealed inside a baby, but the price was high, he paid with his life.  
The baby, being just born, knew nothing of this of course and would not find out until years later...

The newborns name was: Uzumaki Naruto.

I was angry, scratch that, I was downright pissed.  
Kakashi denied me the training he _should _provide me, again.  
_'I would bet a year-supply of ramen that he'd readily agree to training if it was Sasuke asking...'_

Yet again I was left to my own devices, I walked down the road sulking, kicking small pebbles along the way.  
_'I guess he did introduce me to ...uh...what was his name again...Oh Yeah! Ebisu.'  
_But all Ebisu told me was that my chakra control was horrible and that I need to practice that, might as well do that by myself then.

-thud-

I felt myself colliding with someone...or something.  
"Sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going."  
I looked up and saw a purple-haired woman standing there, as if she never felt me walking into her, she never averted her gaze from the stone in front of her, nor did she react to my apology.

That got me slightly peeved, first I was brushed off by my teacher and now a stranger won't even acknowledge my existence.

"Hey! I apologized didn't I? Least you could do is at least look at me." As if she never heard me, she just stood there staring at the stone, taking a closer look I saw that it was a grave.  
Taking another look at the woman, I noticed that she had a cat mask hanging at her belt and she was in some kind of armor.  
Circling around, I also noticed that she had tattoo on her left shoulder.  
_'kinda looks like the leaf symbol, but it's slightly different.'_

Suddenly I got a brilliant idea, she _can't possibly _ignore this and I get to test out the only technique Kakashi ever taught me.  
I got into position and launched.

"Konoha Hiden Secret Taijutsu Technique: One Thousand Years of Pain!"

"Kyaaaaaaahh"

She turned around and levelled a glare at me, looked from me to my finger, then back to me again and narrows her eyes.  
I got her attention alright, but now I'm not sure if I want it anymore.

"You little brat, I'll skin you alive!" With that she launched at me.

I did the logical thing at that moment, run away like my life depended on it, it wasn't reassuring that my life _did _ depend on it.

"Come back here you little brat, wait till I get my hand on you! You'll wish you weren't born!"

I got chased all over the village late into the evening, that's how I met my teacher: Uzuki Yugao.


	2. Challenge

"ready...to...give...up...yet? you...little...brat..."  
I could hear she was breathing heavily, she must be getting tired, good because I'm at my limit too.

"No...way...not...until...you...pro...mise...not...to...kill me..."  
My answer came out equally broken, just a bit longer and my legs would most probably give out, not that I would tell her that.

"fine...stop...run...ning...I...won't...kill...you...I...just...want...to... talk..."  
Hearing that I was a bit more reassured and sighed out in relief.  
Not that I could run much further anyway and thus, I jumped down from the branches and sat against a tree to catch my breath.  
The woman who was chasing me did the same and sat across me, when she caught her breath she spoke in a tired tone.  
"You sure got some stamina for a kid...I'll bet you can even give Gai a run for his money..." a faint smile crept on her face.  
"That super fuzzy brows? No way I can beat _that_."

A giggle could be heard from her direction, I guess this is my chance to apologize.  
"Hey...uh...sorry about earlier, you weren't responding to anything, but I guess using that on you wasn't really a good idea."  
"You shouldn't use that move on women, for that matter, you shouldn't use it on _anyone_." It was too dark to see her face, but she was probably still angry at me. "How did you think up such a vulgar technique anyway."

I was suprised by that. "Huh? Think up? Isn't it widely known? Kakashi-sensei used it on me during the genin test."

I heard some cursing from her direction and some leaves shuffling on the ground, she was now squatting in front of me.  
I felt hands on my cheeks and felt it being turned to her direction, her face was way too close to mine, it didn't help that she was glaring.

"Never _ever _use that move again? You hear me?"

Unconsciously I gulped and nodded fervently.

"Good." with that I was released and she sat next to me, too close for comfort, I was still a bit skeptical about her promise of not killing me.

"So...aren't you supposed to be training for the chuunin exams? Instead of causing trouble around the village?"

I frowned at that. "That was the plan, but sensei'd much rather train Sasuke than me and I was brushed off to Ebisu and I was told that I need to practice my chakra control. I was on my way to do that, but then I walked into _you_."

"I...see" A frown marred her face and there was a moment of silence, as if she was pondering something.  
"Hey, how about I train you for the month?"

"...what?"

"I'm offering to train you for the chuunin exams."

I look over at her, she didn't seem much, actually she looked kinda frail...

"_You? _You could barely keep up with me! forget about training me!"

A frown marred her face, then it turned into a predatory smile  
"Fine, lets decide who is better then..."

A chill ran down my spine, but I couldn't back down anymore now.  
"Your on!"

...oh how I would regret that decision


	3. Sensei

"Ow...ow...oww..."  
I have just received the beat-down of my life, that will teach me to open my big mouth.

"Are you even trying? We're not even done warming up yet!"  
I raised my head, spat out some dirt and glared at the woman from my spot on the ground, dirt sure tastes bad.  
She let me get up and waited for me to drop into a fighting stance, she's was toying with me, the thought of that did not sit well.

"I'm just getting started! This is nothing for the future hokage! Believe it!"

I saw her raising a eyebrow "Believe...it...? What kinda stupid catchphrase is that!"

I felt some anger rise within me. "It's not stupid!"

"Hmmmmm." There was a contemplative look on her face.  
"How about this, _if _you can take this mask from me." with that she took her cat mask in her hand. "I ll acknowledge your better than me."

My face lighted up at that. "What? That's all? Your loss, lady!"

Then there was that predatory smirk again, which never bodes well for me.

"There's a catch to it of course, if you _can't _take it from me in, let's say, thirty minutes, then you will not say your catchphrase for a whole month."

A whole month, I wonder if I actually _can _do that, it's been part of me for so long, but I guess if I try it won't be too hard.

"Fine! Your on! If I can't get that stupid mask I promise I won't say it for a month!" Her smirk got wider "Alright, ready...set...start!"

With that said she disappeared from my sight, I knew that smirk wouldn't bode well for me...

"Hey, come out! This isn't fair!"

I didn't expect a answer, I was already thinking she'd just ditched me here and stuck me with a promise, which I would nonetheless keep.

"Man...this sucks..." I turned around to leave and return to the village, but a voice from behind me stopped me in my tracks.

"Giving up without even trying? I expected better of you."  
Whipping my head around I saw no one there, but then I heard her voice, behind me again and yet again, nothing.  
Getting frustrated I started summoning as much chakra as I can, which wasn't much, as my chakra was still acting funny.

"You want to play hide and seek? Fine! Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"

After the smoke cleared there were ten clones in the clearing.

"What? That's all? With all the chakra you were molding, I was half expecting you to fill the forest!"

Eleven heads whipped around to the sound, nothing again.

"Spread out and catch her!" With that the clones spread out in multiple directions trying to find the woman.

We found her multiple times, but each time before we could regroup she disappeared again, nor could we match her in combat, it was a lost battle.  
Then it was over, the time limit was reached.

"Fine! You win..." This wasn't my day, first I got brushed off by my sensei, then I got chased for hours by some lady I pissed off and wanted to skin me, now I had to keep my promise of not saying my catchphrase to that same woman.

"Ahh...That was the most fun I had in a while, we should do it again sometimes." The competitive spirit in me just couldn't sit still at that.  
"I won't lose next time! Be..." before I could finish my sentence, a hand whacked the back of my head. "Ow...what was that for!"  
"Breaking your promise already?"  
Oh, right. I was supposed to stop saying that for a month.

"I have to leave now, but be here at nine am tomorrow."

Surprisingly she gave me a small smile, waved and was about to leave.

"Wait! What for?" She turned around, gave me a exasperated look and deadpanned. "You forgot already? Why we were doing this in the first place?"

Taking a moment to ponder I remembered again _why _we were doing this again, she offered training to me.

"So, you weren't kidding? You'll really train me?"

She just gave me a small smile "You can call me Yugao-sensei." and leapt off into the darkness.

Well, no point staying here I guess, if I want to wake up tomorrow better go to bed now...I had a feeling that she'll do horrible things to me if I'm late or don't show up.

'_I wonder what she'll teach me."_


	4. Training

"I swear that woman is still holding a grudge against me for the 'thousand years of pain' I pulled on her. This is child abuse!"

It's been a week since Yugao started training me and she's been working me to the bone, literally.  
I always knew that I healed up faster than most people, but even I can't keep up with the rate the wounds keep appearing, _especially_ on my arms.  
_'Not to mention it's been getting worse since she found out how fast I heal, I swear she's even scarier than that second examiner..."_

Narrowing my eyes at the new addition in my weapon arsenal I let out a exasperated sigh, knowing that I still wouldn't be able to use it for a long time to come.

"You'll probably be all rusted by the time I _can_ use you."

Letting out another sigh I got out of my bed and headed for the bathroom.

"Time to get ready for another day of training, oh joy! ...Not."  
While brushing my teeth I suddenly realized something.  
_'Oh great, now I'm even talking to myself out loud, I must be losing it.'_

Glancing at the clock I suppressed myself from cursing out loud, put on my gear and grabbed some toast.  
I jumped out of the window and started jumping from roof to roof, I was running late and I _never _ want to be late again, not with the punishments _she _dishes out.

_'And I can't believe she even placed a ban on my ramen! Life is so unfair..."_

Suppressing another sigh I sped up and continued on my way, having arrived at the designated location I saw her standing in the middle of the clearing, on time as always.  
Resigning to my fate I landed on the clearing, standing in front of her.

"Barely in time." A smirk appeared on her face. "Let's begin then."

Begin, as in me being slaughtered while she gets a living training dummy.  
Readying myself I unsheathed the katana that I now wore diagonally across my back and parried the first strike.

"Your left guard is weak." With that said I received a harsh kick in my left side.

"Gah!"

I started coughing heavily while kneeling on the ground.  
When I caught my breath and raised my head, I saw her katana descending towards me, subconsciously I raised my own and blocked it, barely.

"Good, but too slow! If this was on a mission, you would have kicked the bucket by now!"

With that she pulled back allowing me to get up, narrowing my eyes at her I started my own assault, incorporating the kata's she taught me over the past week and as usual, none of my attacks connected or even got close of hitting her.

This cycle has been repeating itself over the past week.  
I get cut up, can't hit her, I get cut up again, still can't hit her.  
_'This is so unfair...'  
_But this is pretty much the only thing we can do at the moment, she can't teach me any techniques for now, it seems I had a seal placed on me that cuts my connection from the nine tails, which in turn puts my chakra control out of whack.  
_'Must be that guy from the forest of death...'  
_Yugao-sensei has arranged for someone to help me with my problem next week, so until then it's sparring

After the sparring she has to leave for her duties in the ANBU, but not before she leaves me with a heap of exercises to do, such as running laps around Konoha.  
Normally I wouldn't mind it too much, but she made me wear weights at all times, during training, daily life and sleeping.  
As if that wasn't enough, on my second day of training fuzzy brows' sensei, super fuzzy brows, joined me in my laps around Konoha, I think he said something about 'the flames of youth', whatever that is.  
_'Someone up there must hate me...'_

But there's no denying that the training I'm getting is working,  
Compared to a week ago, I'm much faster and stronger now than I was before, even with the weights on.

At the end of the day when Yugao-sensei is finished with her duties, she comes back and observes me practicing my kata's, pointing out my mistakes and helping me correct them.  
After all this, it will most probably be late in the evening and I would be completely drained physically, so I just go home to rest up and prepare for more training the following morning.

_'Today is the day!' _ I haven't been this happy for ages, today the seal is going to be undone and I can finally start learning techniques from Yugao-sensei.

However, my happiness was short-lived, after being able to use chakra again she _did _ start teaching me techniques, but she _also_ started to use them during sparring.  
So on top of getting cut up, now I also get burned and drenched.  
_'It can't get any worse than this...'_

Unfortunately it _did _get worse. 

_'Curse my big mouth_.'

On the third week, she deemed me proficient enough with the blade to start teaching me some techniques with it.  
I'm actually surprised that she deemed me ready so soon, I was happy though, but a bit skeptical, especially since more techniques equals to more pain for me.  
When I voiced my question, she said something about shadow clones, I didn't really understand though, but she said it wasn't important for now, so I let it pass, for now.  
"Well Naruto, since your proficient with shadow clones, I'm going to teach you a very special technique...it's called 'Dance of the Crescent Moon'." There was a big smile on her face while she said this, I wouldn't have minded if her smile didn't look so evil.  
_'Oh hell, I'm so doomed.'_

I'm honestly surprised that I survived the week, but it seems like I'm healing even faster now, almost like the ability evolved.

Not that I'm complaining, without I would most definitely be dead by now.

Learning 'Dance of the Crescent Moon' had been brutal, I was getting cut up three times as bad.  
Not to mention that I'm still nowhere near mastering it.

Compared to when I started I changed a great deal, mostly physical though.  
Nearly all my clothes had been cut up, so I had gone shopping for new ones with Yugao-sensei, but she firmly denied the color orange and filled my wardrobe with black.  
_'It's soooooo gloomy...'  
_I also developed some more muscles, hard not to with all the training I've done, finally I seem to have grown a bit in height, I think sensei said it had something to do with me not eating ramen all the time.

Now there's only one week left until the finals, Yugao-sensei had to leave the village for a mission, under normal circumstances I would have been jumping for joy for the break, but with the finals so close I couldn't help but being anxious.  
Fortunately she'd arranged for a substitute during her absence, I wasn't particularly happy about it, she promised that I won't be disappointed with him, just that I mind not to pick up his bad habits.  
Finally she gave me permission to start training with _that _blade, well, time to get started I guess.

_'One week left...'_


	5. First Contact

I was standing in the middle of the stadium surrounded by hundreds of people, all of them cheering, which I'll just pretend was all for me.  
Konoha's most disliked individual into the ground.

From my month of training with Yugao-sensei I learned one thing about myself: I was still weak.

There was also the issue that's my opponent, who was in one word, strong.

So here I stand, in the chunin exam finals and in one of the most broken match-ups.  
...This would have been different if Kakashi just trained us seriously instead of slacking.

_'On that thought, where the hell is Kakashi anyway, better yet. where the hell is Sasuke... he didn't even show up for the roll call.'_

Not that I had time to worry about him, for now, I have my own problem to deal with, such as the opening match of the exams.

Sizing up my opponent who already has dropped into the gentle fist stance, I recalled things about his bloodline that Yugao-sensei has told me about, so that I was not completely sent as a lamb to the slaughter.

_'So how the hell do I fight someone that has threehundred and sixty degrees of vision, can see through objects _and _see my chakra pathways.'_

While studying my opponent I vaguely heard the proctor give the signal to begin.

If there was one thing I have learned in the past month, it would be not to rush in, which would only reward me with pain...sensei made sure of that.

So patiently waited for him to make a move, I think I heard him talking about 'fate' or something, but I didn't want to lose my focus and thus did not pay much mind to it.

Well I didn't have to wait long, for whatever reason he seems to be pissed off about something and charged towards me.

Normally it would a no-brainer who would win in a one-on-one match between fists and swords, but at this very moment, the sword would most probably lose.

The most important factor being: experience.  
I was just too inexperienced to fight with him, after all, I have only been training seriously for the last month and he's been at it for god knows how long, there was also the issue of field experience, him being a year older definitely had that advantage too.

_'When all fails... it's down to luck.'_

My chances of winning were grim indeed.

_'Let's see if he got a weak side...'_

Breaking off contact I jumped back a few yards and started to collect chakra within me.

"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"

The stadium was covered with smoke and when it cleared, I had surrounded Neji with my clones.

Without pause they charged forward one by one from multiple directions.  
As quickly as they attacked, they were beaten even faster.

So we're back at where we started, only I had lost a huge chunk of chakra.  
But they served their purpose, I had found my chance to winning, he seemed to react slower at a particular angle behind him.

When the last clone was destroyed I waited for him to make a move again, only this time he seemed much calmer and it never came.

Deciding it was all or nothing I launched forward to initiate a assault.

Left, Right, Above, Right, Thrust, kick.

He seemed to have no problems dodging my attacks and commenced counterattack, so now I found myself on the defensive.

His strikes were quick and unrelenting, it took all I had for just not getting hit too much, never mind retaliating.

But then I saw it, there was a opening, deciding to gamble all on it, I launched my attack.

"Dance of the Crescent Moon!"

The first strike was knocked away, The second one was stopped by his hands just above his head, but it wasn't over yet, my final clone had approached him in his blind spot and was about to deliver the final strike.  
There was no time left for him to dodge it, victory was mine.

A smirk appeared on my face, but before I knew what was happening, my world was engulfed in pain.  
I only briefly heard something that sounded like 'Rotation' before I smacked painfully against something hard, probably the stadium walls.

Landing on the ground I coughed up some blood, I tried to move my left arm, which responded, albeit painfully.

_'Good, it isn't broken yet...'_

I slowly got up, when I raised my head I came face to face with Neji who was ready to finish me off.

"You are within range of my divination."

With that said he launched forward.

"Two palms!"  
I got hit square in the chest.

"Four palms!"  
This time I hardly felt anything, probably because I already was hurting badly.

"Eight palms!"  
My vision started blurring.

"Sixteen palms!"  
I lost control of my arms and my katana dropped out of my hands.

"Thrity two palms!"  
My legs gave out under me.

"Eight Trigrams...Sixty-four palms!"  
With that I embraced the unconsciousness.

When I woke up, I wasn't in a hospital bed like I expected I would be, but I was in a sewer instead.

Deep, dark laughter could be heard from the end of the hallway.  
Having nowhere else to turn to, I followed it.

This would be my first real meeting with the nine-tails.

Arriving in the final room, I saw a giant cage in front of me, but it's not the cage that had my attention, it's the eyes that lit up behind it.  
Before I could ponder more on it, a deep voice filled up the room.

**"So you finally decided to pay a visit..."  
**Deciding that it would be best to be silent and observe for now, I stared back at those eyes.  
Oh, I was scared always, in fact, I think I could piss in my pants at any given moment, but not that I would let him know that.  
After a moment of silence, I realized that we were getting nowhere and so I took the initiative.

"You must be...the nine-tails?"

**"My such great deductive abilities." **The sarcasm was dripping from his voice. **"Is it the teeth?" **A giant smile with razorsharp teeth came in sight. **"Or would it be my tails?" **It stepped forward and came into sight, there it stood, a giant fox with nine tails flowing behind.

"...where am I?" I had a pretty good idea where I am, but just to be sure. "Or better yet, why am I here?"

A snort could be heard from the giant creature in front of me.  
**"And here I thought you finally developed a brain that actually works..." **Seeing I wasn't taking the bait he continued speaking.  
**"As for where we were...welcome to the inside of yourself!"  
**_That _did shock me _'What? My inner world is a sewer? ...Damn that sucks!'  
_**"And as for **_**why **_**your here, your unconscious."  
**_'Oh yeah, Neji practically annihilated me...' _Suddenly a idea hit me.  
"Hey fox! Lend me your chakra! I'm pretty sure that if I that, that _you_ die and you probably know what happens to someone who had _all _his chakra pathways sealed."  
It merely stared at me, while I may have been putting on a brave facade, the cold sweat was breaking out on my back and a few moments longer I would have caved in, had he kept staring at me.

But he suddenly started laughing, it wasn't the pleasant, but a deep and evil laughter.  
When it ended, he started speaking again.

**"You have guts, little human, threatening **_**me **_**with death, but I will humor you for **_**now, **_**take it and leave this place."**

A red and malevolent chakra started to engulf me, but the power that it brought with it was almost addicting.

My eyes snapped open, I was in the stadium again, the proctor was ready to call the match, but stopped when the stadium broke out in murmurs.  
He turned around and looked at me with wide eyes, but something seems off.

_'Is that fear in his eyes?'_

Fear? Of me? Slowly standing up I realized that I no longer felt any pain in my body, in fact, I never felt _this _well before, glancing at my left arm, I saw that red chakra enveloped it.  
Then it hit me, the nine-tails' chakra, they were fearing the nine-tails.

But the chakra was already dissipating, it was already retreating back into me and the pain was there once more, I felt the fatigue kick in, I was probably good for one more attack, so I chanced it all in one final attack.

"Hey Neji! Let's finish this with a final move!"

I sure hope he didn't see through my bluff, after this move I would be down for the count.  
But I think he took it, as he dropped into the gentle fist stance.

A smirk was on my face as I launched at him, chakra swirled in my hand, my newest technique, taught to me by that pervert that substituted for Yugao-sensei.

"Rasengan!"

As I approached him, he crouched down and started his own technique.

"Eight Trigrams...Palm Rotation!"

Our attacks collided, they fought for dominance, neither giving a inch and finally exploded, throwing both of us back.

This time I knew that I would not be able to get back up.

But I gave it my all and started to slip into the unconsciousness.

_'Heh... Hope your hurting as bad as me... Serves you right for treating Hinata like that..."_

Finally darkness engulfed me and my world went black.


End file.
